Читать книгу The Best English Fairy Tales / Лучшие английские сказки - Группа авторов - Страница 8

A long, long time ago there lived in a little house an old woman and a young girl. The house was in the lonely moor. The old woman was ugly and dumb. The young girl was pretty and sweet.

In the centre of the house, there was a fire. There were two beds. A wooden bed was for the old woman, the other was Finola’s. It was of oak, very beautiful with flowers and birds. This bed was for a princess, and a princess Finola was. But she did not know it herself.

The only other person beside the old woman Finola ever saw was a dumb dwarf. He came once a month to the house, bringing with him corn for the old woman and Finola. He couldn’t speak to her, but Finola was always happy to see the dwarf and his old horse. The dwarf was in love with her.

One day he came and she did not come out to greet him. He made signs to the old woman, but she took up a stick and hit him, and drove him away. But then he saw Finola at the door of the house, and saw that she was crying. He was very sad about it and couldn’t stop thinking about her.

Suddenly he heard a voice: “It is time for you to come.”